I'll be Home for Christmas
by LittlePeopleKnow
Summary: The rosy cheeks, the bright smiles, the joyful atmosphere. Most people are happy in December. But Amanda Harrison isn't most people. (Because it's never to early for a Christmas one-shot) Carl/OC


**Set in the "Only a Kid, But Hard to Scare" universe. I recommend reading that first. (Don't worry, I think you'll like it.) Anyway, all of the survivors have found each other again, except for Rick and Carl. They have settled down at an Ikea. Lol perfect, right? Pairings are: Carl/Amanda Leo/Eliza Lizzie/Jack Sophia/Patrick Daryl/Carol Glenn/Maggie Rick/Michonne Andrea/Milton Amy/Caleb Tyreese/Karen Sasha/Bob and Mika/Louis. This is not what will be happening in OAKBHTS! Enjoy!**

**I don't own the Walking Dead or any Music.**

It was nearly Christmas.

Cheeks were pinker, smiles wider, people happier, and runs more frequent.

In most peoples opinion, it was impossible to be unhappy during the month of December.

But Amanda Harrison was not most people.

She watcher her sisters, Andrea and Amy, cuddling on couches with their boyfriends, Milton and Caleb.

Her best friend, Eliza Morales, helped her boyfriend, Leo, hang stocking raided from a store over a fake fireplace in an Ikea showroom.

Sophia and Patrick helped take care of the children with Beth, including baby Judith.

It hurt Amanda to look at Judith.

It had been a little over a year since The Governor had attacked the prison. Amanda had been separated from her boyfriend, Carl Grimes. Judith's older brother.

Amanda wasn't the only one hurting.

Michonne was hurting, too. She and Carl's dad, Rick, had a thing. But they had been separated, too.

A silent connection formed between the two girls. They could always be seen together, or at least somewhere near each other.

They never talked about it, but it was apparent.

At the moment, Amanda was in the cafeteria, away from the romance. She stared out the window, watching the snow flakes fall to the ground. It never snowed in Georgia. But the end of the world messed that up, too.

"Hey, Amanda." Lizzie Samuels and her boyfriend Jack stood behind her.

The blonde forced a smile, "Hey."

"Sasha wants you." Lizzie awkwardly looked to her feet.

Things had been quiet between them ever since the prison was overrun. Lizzie sucked at sympathy, and seemed to avoid Amanda whenever possible.

"Okay." Amanda said.

She followed the young couple into the showrooms.

People glanced sideways at Amanda as she passed, but the fifteen year old pretended not to notice.

"Sasha? You wanted me?" Amanda asked when she found the young woman with her boyfriend, Bob Stookey.

"Yes! Bob, Daryl, Glenn, Maggie, Tyreese, Karen, and me are going on a run to the local Target today. It was a shelter for a while, but it got overrun recently. Glenn and Maggie used speakers to draw them out a few days ago, but we haven't gone back, since. We wanted to know it you would like to come." Sasha offered.

"Is Michonne going?" Amanda asked.

Sasha shifted uncomfortably, "Well, no. But-"

"Then no thanks." Amanda said coldly.

"Amanda-"

"I said no."

Sash looked like she wanted to say something else, but refrained when she saw the cold look in Amanda's eyes.

"Alright." Sasha whispered, turning away.

A pang of guilt struck Amanda's heart. Her throat constricted and tears blurred her eyes, threatening to spill over.

She spun around towards the emergency exit, her vision red.

Breaking into a run, she exited the building, walking out into the freezing cold.

Snowflakes stung her bare arms, forming red patches on her skin. Her boots crunched under the white fluff as she walked aimlessly in the cold evening.

She missed Carl.

Where the hell was he?

Was hurt?

Was he okay?

Was he still with Rick?

Was he... Dead?

Amanda shuddered, not from the cold.

Carl couldn't be dead.

He can't be.

A sob escaped Amanda's throat.

She sank to her knees in the middle of the road, wet snow soaking through her jeans.

Her wavy blonde hair blew around her, creating a shield for her face.

Tears flowed freely from her dark blue eyes, falling onto her dry, cracked hands.

Anger boiled inside of her.

"WHY?" She screamed to the snow.

Why? Everything was taken away from her. Her parents. Her friends. Her family. Her greatest friend in the whole world, her boyfriend, the only person she could count on, gone, ripped right from her hands.

It was a two days until Christmas Eve.

And he was gone and she was alone.

* * *

"Michonne?" Amanda walked into the cafeteria.

The woman stood at the window. Her blood-tainted katana was strapped to her back. She stood up straight and tall and proud. Her fists were clenched to her sides as she stared out the window at nothing. Her dreadlocks sat around her face and shoulders. But Amanda could still see her eyes.

Her eyes. To most people, they were brown. But to Amanda, they were broken. Full of sadness and emptiness and loneliness and rage and sorrow.

Definitely sorrow.

Amanda had the same eyes.

"Hey Michonne." Amanda walked up next to her, and for a while their broken eyes stared out into nothing together.

"Sasha ask you to go on a run?" Michonne asked.

"Yeah."

"And what did you say?"

"I said no."

Michonne sighed, "Goddamn it. Baby Girl, why not?"

"Did you want me to?" Amanda asked, suprised.

"I'm the one who told her to ask you!"

"What?" Ananda was confused, "Why?"

"Because you can't keep sitting around here doing nothing!" Michonne grabbed the blonde's shoulders, "You need to go on that run tomorrow."

"But-"

"No. No more bullshit."

Those for words rang in Amanda's ears.

No. No more bullshit.

Amanda remembered the first time Michonne had said that to her.

She was with Carl.

Michonne quickly realized what she had said, and her gaze softened.

"Oh Baby Girl, I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking..."

"It's okay." But Amanda's eyes were full of years for the second time that day.

Michonne folded the blonde into her arms, murmuring soft words of apology.

When Amanda had calmed down, she pulled herself away from the hug.

Her blue broken eyes met Michonne's brown broken eyes, and she spoke.

"I'll go on the run with Sasha."

Michonne gave a small smile. "Good. Go tell her."

Amanda nodded and scurried out of the room and ran to the showrooms.

When she passed by people, she didn't pretend to not see people give her looks. She really didn't see them.

"Sasha!" Amanda caught her breath and the dark young woman started, "I'll go on the run."

Sasha broke into a smile. "Good! We need you."

"Thanks, Sasha." Amanda pulled the short woman into a hug, surprising them both.

After a moment, Sasha pulled away. "Go get some rest." She said, smiling, "We've got a big day tomorrow."

* * *

"Here are your lists," Sasha pressed a piece of paper into each person's hand. They were standing in the entrance to a fully-stocked Target.

Amanda looked down at her list:

1. Books, magazines, coloring books, ect.

2. Lotion

3. Chapstick

4. Crayons, colored pencils, markers, ect.

5. Water

6. Toys, stuffed animals

7. Batteries

8. Flashlights

9. Clothes

10. Winter coats and accessories

"Why do we need toys and stuffed animals?" She asked.

"It's the day before Christmas Eve! Tonight, the grown ups are having a meeting to decide what to give who. If I were you, I would pick out some presents for your friends." Maggie answered.

"Oh." Amanda said, feeling stupid.

Maggie smiled at her.

"Let's go!"

Amanda raided the books and magazines, first.

A book entitled "The Lightning Thief" caught her eyes.

Leo talked about how he used to love this book all of the time.

Smirking, Amanda put it along with the rest of the series into her cart.

She headed off to the cosmetics next.

She was surprised to find Daryl looking at assorted perfumes.

"Daryl?" she asked.

The redneck jumped. "Oh! Amanda! Ummm..."

"Dixon, what are you doing?"

Daryl hesitated, "I'm trying to find something for Carol."

Amanda gasped, "I KNEW IT!"

"Keep your voice down!" Daryl sushed her.

"I knew you liked her!"

"Whatever. I don't know what to get her." he frowned, "Any ideas?"

Amanda thought, "Get her a scarf. She likes wrapping them around her head."

Daryl smiled, "You're a genius, Amanda Harrison."

It was Amanda's turn to blush.

Daryl hurried off, leaving Amanda with the cosmetics.

She emptied lotion into the cart, as well as some Chapstick.

She chose a set of glittery lip gloss for Sophia and a mango body spray for Lizzie. It occurred to her that the boys would need things to give to their girlfriends. So Amanda stocked up on beauty products.

The art section was next. After cramming art supplies into her cart, she found a couple of sketchbooks and paint sets for Jack.

After quickly switching carts, Amanda hit the water mother load.

Another cart.

Batteries and flash lights were plentiful.

In the toy section, she found a couple of Lego sets for Louis and a stuffed elephant for Mika.

On a whim, she added a small stuffed giraffe for Judith.

After another cart switch, she headed to the clothes section.

She found Eliza a new black leather jacket and some tank tops.

For herself, she grabbed a couple of big, over sized sweater, some jeans, bras, underwear, and a pair of new black boots.

Coats were easy, and another cart switch later, she found herself at the jewelry section.

For Patrick, she found a new glasses case, complete with cleaner.

Amanda emptied all of the jewelry into her cart, for the boyfriends.

She chose a pair of lightning bolt earrings for Amy, and a pair of diamond studs for Andrea.

As she was about to leave, something caught her eye in the jewelry case.

A simple gold bracelet with the word "strength" sat on a cushion.

It was perfect.

Amanda hoped over the counter and used a flash light to look under the case.

She found a box labeled "strength bracelet, gold" with another one stacked underneath it. She took them both.

One was for her.

The other for Michonne.

Behind them, two more boxes were labeled "love bracelet, gold."

Amanda opened one of the boxes to reveal the same exact bracelet in her hand, but the word strength was replaced by love.

Sighing, she set the box on the counter and walked away.

While walking, she slipped off the silver bracelet that had been a gift from Dale and put it in her pocket. She replaced it with the gold bracelet.

Little did she know, Dale's precious gift to her slipped out of her pocket and onto the cold, hard floor.

On her way to meet the others, one last thing caught her eye.

A cowboy hat sat on a shelf.

Amanda's breath caught in her throat as she walked to it,

The hat was a light tan with a blue ribbon wrapped around the place where the hilly top and wide brim met.

Amanda picked it up and set it on her head.

A mirror was attached to a near by post.

She walked to it and dusted off the surface.

She gasped when she saw her reflection.

She I didn't look like that fourteen year old girl she was last time she had looked in a mirror.

She looked older, definitely fifteen now. She looked a lot like Andrea. Stern face, cold eyes, confident poise.

The freckles that had once peppered her nose and cheeks had faded into her skin, and her baby fat was gone.

She didn't have a little girl body, that was for sure.

Amanda was curvy now, her skin soft and her appearance amplified.

How hadn't she noticed this?

Probably because she had spent to much time being sad about Carl.

Amanda quickly turned, and she and her cart raced back to the entrance.

"There you are Amanda!" Sasha was the only one left at the door. "I was just about to go looking for you, nice hat."

* * *

"I'll be Home for Christmas" played through a boombox.

It was 10:00 on Christmas Eve.

Everyone slow danced with partners in the cafeteria.

Even Michonne danced around with Judith.

Amanda was being a wallflower.

With a sigh, she walked out of the cafeteria and into the showrooms.

Reaching inside a desk, she pulled out something she had found in the present stash last night.

It was Issue one of "Science Dog" by Robert Kirkman. Carl's favorite comic.

Amanda walked back to her "room", clutching the comic.

She threw on her new coat over her sweater, pulled on some mittens and her new boots, and finally her new hat.

Still holding the comic, she went out the fire exit and into the snowy street.

The for-some-reason-still-working-street-lamps illuminated the darkness.

Amanda watched snowflakes fall past the light and onto the ground, fluttering silently.

She began to sing in a clear, sweet tone:

_Silent night, holy night_

_All is calm_

_All is bright_

_Round yon Virgin_

_Mother and child_

_Holy infant _

_so tender_

_and mild_

_sleep in heavenly peace_

_Sleep in Heavenly peace_

Silent Night had always been Amanda's favorite Christmas carol, and she was surprised the words were still fresh in her mind.

Just when she was about to head inside, a voice rang out in the darkness.

"Amanda!" It called.

Amanda's stomach dropped. It was his voice.

Carl's voice.

"C-Carl?" She yelled.

"Amanda!"

"Carl! Where are you!"

"I don't know!"

"Here! Follow my voice!"

Amanda began singing again, her crisp, lovely voice echoing into the night.

Two pairs of footsteps came closer and closer.

And there he was.

Carl.

And Rick, but Amanda only saw Carl.

He was older now, like her.

But he was still Carl.

Her Carl.

She stumbled forward as he did.

He lifted her off of the ground in a kiss/hug/OmigodILoveYouWhereTheHellHaveYouBeen Type thing.

And Amanda loved every second of it.

The next thing she knew, Michonne was hugging Rick and the whole crowd was cheering for them and Amanda and Carl.

Eliza rejoiced when she saw Carl, for the two had been best friend ever since this whole mess started.

Sophia burst into tears and ran to hug Carl.

Lizzie squealed and planted a huge kiss on his cheek, apologizing to Amanda about a million times after.

Leo, Jack, and Patrick would accept no less than bro-hugs from their former roommate.

Daryl, Glenn, Tyreese, Milton, Caleb, and Bob shook his hand.

Andrea and Amy hugged him fiercely, tears brimming in their eyes.

Carol's motherly instincts overtook her, and she asked poor Carl a million questions and got him a million things to eat and drink.

And Amanda was by his side the whole time.

Stories were exchanged.

Carl and Rick told everybody about their search for the group, and how they found Amanda's silver bracelet on the floor of the Target, and they knew that they were close. The told of how they heard Amanda singing to herself and how the were finally reunited.

Daryl told of how the group slowly found it's way back together.

"It was like making a quilt," he said, "We just had to sew each piece together "

Soon, it was time to go to bed.

Tomorrow was Christmas, after all.

Carl and Amanda slept together.

"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you..." Amanda whispered in Carl's ear.

"I love you, too. I've got something for you." And he pulled out a very firmiliar box.

Inside was a gold bracelet with the word "love" on it. The very same one Amanda had found earlier.

Carl put it on her wrist.

"I have something for you, too." Amanda pulled out the comic book.

Needless to say, they had a good night sleep that night.

* * *

"Merry Christmas!" Six very disrespectful friends stormed into the "room" where Carl and Amanda were curled up together. Amanda's head rested on Carl's chest, and Carl and his arm around Amanda's shoulders.

The pair of teens raised groggy heads off of their pillows.

Eliza was being given a piggy back ride by Leo, Lizzie and Jack were holding hands, and Patrick had an arm around Sophia. They beamed down at the newly reunited couple.

Carl helped pull Amanda out of bed while their friends looked on, grinning from ear to ear.

"Merry Christmas!"

Amanda received a set of hair bows from Sophia, elastic headbands from Lizzie, a memory foam pillow from Eliza (don't ask), a camera with instant printing from Patrick, notebooks and pencils from Jack (Amanda wanted to be a writer), and the first Harry Potter book from Leo.

Andrea gave her a set if lip gloss, Amy gave her a simple gold ring with a flower in the middle, and Michonne gave her a new knife and holster.

Mika and Louis shared a gift for Amanda, and gave her a scarf.

Daryl gave Carol her present and was rewarded with a deep kiss and a new pair of boxers.

Milton proposed to Andrea who said yes.

Rick proposed to Michonne who also said yes.

Amy said yeas to Caleb and also "I am pregnant because Glenn keeps forgetting to buy condoms Merry Christmas you're a dad!"

Carl and Amanda sat together and watched.

Watched all of the happiness.

The normalism.

The blissfulness.

The beauty.

And now that she had Carl, Amanda was happy in December, too.

**So there you have it! I might do more of these, depending on my response. Feel free to request ideas! PM me or leave a review. Hope you enjoyed!**

**-LPK**


End file.
